Senior minis went off without a hitch. Most people were doubtful of the weather but the sun shined it’s beautiful rays.

These girls, best friends, put serious thought and effort into their style.

And with that thought I leave you a sneak peek!

Hey little, girl.

Yeah, I’m talking to you little girl. The one that has been waking up all smiles and hugs with a bright and cheery, “Good morning, mama!” for the past coupla weeks.

The one that has been taking what seems like HOURS to complete a simple meal of peanut butter sandwich, carrots, yogurt with granola and a swig of juice.

The one that likes to tell stories about her day and use the phrase, “and also” in the wrong places and at the wrong times.

I love you. And a few days ago you turned four. And these past four years you have completely blown me away with how much you’ve grown from a little bald baby, to a running wild thing!

Happy birthday, sweet Ella.

Love, Mama.

I kept smiling about at the park with Nicole and Eric remembering that moments ago, Eric had started to bust out lyrics for either a Wyclef Jean or a Prazwell song and I thought, woe, he know the lyrics to this song? Hilarious!

But we were blessed with this quick little trip to San Francisco’s Golden Gate Park. The rain was pouring like crazy just hours before and Eric was the brilliant one that looked out the window and said, “Look, it stopped raining.” RUN, we gotta get outdoors to seize the moment and the sun rays peeking through the white clouds.

I love this series of moments because Eric is a funny guy and Nicole is obviously smitten with him because they would look at each other and then start smiling and then laughing. It was like a game. I wanted to play too, but that would have been weird.

Eric and Nicole picked out her ring from an antique dealer near their home in San Francisco. Love it!

Eric told me he had been perfecting his “SMIZE.” I can totally tell you worked on it, Eric!

Nicole and Eric shared that this area of the Botanical Garden’s at Golden Gate Park is where they filmed a scene from Memoirs of a Geisha.

Beautiful! See you in May! Your wedding in Santa Barbara is going to be beautiful!

Nicole and I go waaaay back. OK, well back to high school, which is still way back since I am getting up there in age (tee hee). We spent some serious time together in Student Council and our IB classes, trying to make campus life enjoyable for our peers and trying to be the best students ever. Then we graduated. We went out separate ways.

Ten years go by and then I “see” Nicole on Facebook. And look! Nicole has a boyfriend. Ohh, how sweet! And Nicole doesn’t live too far from me. Cool! Nicole also has a busy social calendar so after a few attempts at a meet up we finally get a chance to play “Ten-year catch up” and I meet Eric. And they are perfect for each other. Really. It was like watching an old married couple.

“What’s that one beer I like, Eric?”

“Um, it’s either this one or the one that tastes faintly like bubble gum.”

Eric doesn’t even have to ask Nicole certain things because he already knows what she wants. Oh! So sweet. Then I “see” on Facebook that Nicole and Eric are engaged! Oh, joy! I e-mail her to tell her congratulations and now here we are shooting their engagement photos in San Francisco. Nicole’s vision was to shoot inside City Hall and be framed by the architecture. It worked to our advantage since it was raining that day.

But seriously, who cares about the rain when you get to work in a historical building with two beautiful people!

More gorgeous shots will be served up on Wednesday!

What was I doing on Friday….

Come back next week to see the rest.

I look at these and remember eaves dropping on their conversation while I was composing shots, or pulling greenery or lugging ugly out of my shots.

Him: “You’re so cute when you make that face.”

Her: “What face?”

Him: “That one. (sigh) You’re so cute.”

I almost felt obtrusive while they talked to each other.

Ashlyn & Jordan both have their future ahead of them. They met a few years ago. Where? In a dance studio of all places.

Jordan comes from a creative family and spent a few years perfecting his pas de chats and développés in the local dance studio. That’s when he first met Ashlyn. The cutest ballerina in the studio. The two struck up a conversation, and then…here we are. Here they are.

Ashlyn is pursuing a degree in Fine Arts, Jordan is pursuing a degree in computer animation. And he likes to dabble in landscape photography. I’m sure the two of them will live a beautiful life together, dancing in each other’s arms when no one is looking. And probably when people are looking because you wanna know what? They’re in love.

Thank you Ashlyn & Jordan, for reminding me about those sweet simple moments.

A coupla days late. But here are some more random things from around the house…

Remember the lovely tomatoes featured from the San Rafael Farmer’s Market? I blogged it last weekend. But anyhow, sometimes we’d end up with so many tomatoes that we never ate that I started freezing them. Voila…out of the freezer and ready for a fresh(ish) batch of pasta sauce…

I may have shown you this Buddha head that is sitting on my mantel. I’m not sure when and where we got it but I like it. IT makes me feel like I may have left the country to collect it. One of these days I will leave this country and visit far off places.

I love this rubber band ball. It has absolutely no purpose in the house but the colors are vibrant. I love a little bit o’ color in my life. So there it sits at my desk.

I went to write in my journal and flipped to the next fresh page. Found this note in my journal. I love it.

Um, what can I say about Ashlyn and Jordan other than the fact that they are adorably cute! Young love always makes me happy. The whole time, Ashlyn was perfect, giggly and smiley while Jordan showered her with praises and adoring looks. After a few hours with these two I wanted to immediately go home and tickle Justin and tell him he was so cute when he watched tv with his mouth open but the sentiment would not have been the same…sigh.

So, here’s just a few shots from my fun anytime session with Ashlyn and Jordan. Anytime sessions are perfect for occasions like this: documenting that perfect relationship with someone that holds significance in your life. They are not engaged (yet) but they are most definitely promised to each other which in itself is a done deal.

More to come later in the week!

To all my family, friends and lovely readers.

This is my dad. My mom and dad divorced when I was in grade school. I don’t know him well at all, but I love him nonetheless.

This photo was obviously taken before mom and dad were divorced. It was 1979. The year I was born. My mom and dad were in England, stationed on an American army base in Lakenheath. I have the story that goes along with my birth which I will share later. But for now…

Sometimes in my head, I see this picture and that’s the way I see my dad when I have those few and far between conversations with him on the phone. Or when I’m reading those infrequent e-mails we send each other.

The thing I love most about this photo is that my mom took it. I can imagine her. Tired and weary from the responsibilities of a new child. Looking lovingly at  me. Lovingly at my dad.

Holding the camera.

Clicking away.

One at a time.

This is why I love photography, the art of photography and the feelings it emotes.

This moment in time.

Even though I was too young to remember it. I will always remember this.